Gorka Marquez has shown that he is ever the doting fiancé and dad as he posted a poignant photo to show how much life has changed for him and Gemma Atkinson in just a few short years. The Strictly Come Dancing star and former soap actress met on the BBC One show in 2017.
Gemma, who was a finalist in the series, was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec and Gorka was paired with singer Alexandra Burke. Following the end of the hit dance contest, the pair were once again together on the show's arena tour, after which they confirmed their relationship.
Gorka has previously said the pair "became very good mates" before their romance took off and tearfully said in an episode of Strictly spin-off It Takes Two towards the end of last year: "Without Strictly I would never have Gemma. I think she's the best person in the world. She inspires me every day.
"She makes me a better man, a better person, a better person, better everything. I'm so grateful to have her and call her my fiancée," he added. The loved-up pair then welcomed their first child together, daughter Mia Louise Marquez, on July 4 2019 and they got engaged on Valentine's Day 2021. Taking to Instagram, Gorka shared two snaps that showed the difference in their lives, three years apart.
One of the images showed Gemma, 37, and Gorka's hands interlocked while the other was the same, but with Mia's hand, featuring nail varnish on her little nails, firmly placed on top and Gemma's stunning engagement ring also sticks out as it sparkles on her left hand.
Gorka, 31, simply captioned the post: "2022 vs 2019," alongside a red heart to which Gemma echoed in the comments, simply adding: "Familia." The post also quickly attracted messages from his Strictly co-stars and fans of the couple.
"Gorka being sweet everyday. Can’t wait to see you guys get married!" @hellooooalright said.
@barkjodie wrote: "You make a lovely couple and family, extremely genuine."
"This is beautiful," amandajmorris73 said.
@lizcollins372 commented: "Ahhhhhhh I love this..this pic is beautiful."
But it appears the photos caused some confusion - one, because Gemma's nails are identical as is Gorka's blue jumper and bracelet, but two, because people thought the couple just got engaged and were flooding them with congratulatory messages.
As already mentioned, the pair got engaged in February last year, three years after the pair went public with their romance. Hits Radio presenter Gemma shared a photo of the happy couple on her Instagram on Valentine's Day. Showing off her sparkler of an engagement ring and planting a kiss on her man, she said: "Valentine’s forever... Of course I said yes." And Gorka wrote: "The best day with my forever Valentine’s. I asked and she said YES!!!!!!"
And the couple are clearly very much on each other's sides as Gorka was one of the first to back his wife-to-be when she hit out at a message on a toilet door at the gym.
The doting parents recently enjoyed their first holiday together abroad as a family of three. Gemma shared updates from their time away in Tenerife which holds a special place in her heart.
As their holiday was coming to come to an end, the former Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star reflected on their trip and shared a photo of herself in a gorgeous green bikini, alongside her 'mini me' little girl. And the sweet mother and daughter snap was taken in the exact spot Gemma posed a few years ago while pregnant with Mia.
The 37-year-old, from Bury, was grinning for the camera in a big pair of sunglasses and posed with a peace sign and Mia, who turns three in July, copied her mum's moves.
